Munster suffer injury blows ahead of key Magners League clashes

MUNSTER have been dealt three injury blows ahead of key fixtures in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.
It has been confirmed that full-back Felix Jones suffered cruciate ligament damage in his right knee during Saturday’s victory over the Ospreys at Thomond Park.
Luckless Jones only returned to action at start of this season having been sidelined since December due to a serious neck injury.
In a further blow to Munster ahead of Friday’s Magners League fixture with the Glasgow Warriors at Firhill (7.30pm), it has also been confirmed that hooker Denis Fogarty will be out of action until the New Year having undergone a shoulder operation on Monday morning in a Dublin clinic.
The extent of the damage winger Ian Dowling suffered to his hip early on in the Ospreys game has still to be fully determined. Both he and Felix Jones are to seek further specialist advice. However, a Munster Rugby statement revealed that ‘initial examination suggests they both face lengthy periods of rehab’.
Meanwhile the Munster A Schools’ side begin their quest for inter-provincial honours with a fixture against Connacht Schools at St. Nessan’s Community College’s new playing pitch this Wednesday at 3pm. The game will be preceded by the official opening of the new playing pitch at St. Nessan’s which will be performed by Munster rugby star Keith Earls. Twenty-two-year-old Earls is a past pupil of the school.
No fewer than five Limerick-based schools have representatives in the 27-strong squad announced for the game. Munster A Schools starting line-up will include the Villiers duo of Ronan Hunt at full-back and his colleague Aaron Atkinson at scrum-half.
St. Clement’s College also have two representatives in the starting line-up, Paddy Marks at tight-head prop and Evan Fitzgerald in the second row. Keith Ryan, of host school St Nessan’s Community College, is included in the replacements as is Eoghan Bedford of Salesians Pallaskenry, Ryan Meaney of Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh, and the St. Clement’s duo of Dara Phillips and Shane Gavin and Niall Fitzgerald from Villiers.
The Munster A Schools team v Connacht: Ronan Hunt (Villiers), Conor Moloney (Bandon Grammar), Conor Haran (Waterpark College), Andrew Walsh (Newtown), Stephen Scallan (Newtown); Ned Hodson (Midleton College), Aaron Atkinson (Villiers); Neil Willoughby (Bandon Grammar), Ben Cross (Newtown), Paddy Marks (St. Clement’s); PJ Hegarty (Bandon Grammar), Evan Fitzgerald (St. Clement’s); Willie O’Morochoe (N) (capt.), Sam Hunter (Bandon Grammar), Peter Deane (Bandon Grammar). Replacements: Keith Ryan (St. Nessan’s Community College), Diarmuid O’Donnell (Abbey), Eoghan Bedford (Salesians Pallaskenry), Ryan Meaney (Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh), Stuart O’Sullivan (Midleton College), Dara Phillips (St. Clement’s), Jack Robinson (Bandon Grammar), Deano James (Midleton College), Niall Fitzgerald (Villiers), Shane Galvin (St. Clement’s), John Sweetnam (Midleton College), Pat Ryan (Abbey).

Colm Kinsella